Pneumatic tire.



No. 792,008. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. P. E. DOOLITTLE.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.25.1903.

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attouwnj UNITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

PERRY ERNEST DOOLITTLE, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,008, dated June 13,1905.

Application filed September 25, 1903. Serial No. 174,669.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY ERNEST DOOLIT- TLE, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Toronto, in the Province of Ontario andDominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements inPneumatic Tires, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic tires, and is more especially adaptedfor use on automo biles and carriages where the tire is subjected toexcessive weight and road-strain.

The objects of my invention are to provide a tire that may be easily andquickly removed for purpose of repair and replaced on the wheel-felly byany ordinary individual using the same, to provide a form oftire-fastening that will securely fasten the tire to the wheelfelly andeffectually prevent its creeping even when used in a deflated condition,and to provide aform of tire that can be used a reasonable distance in adeflated condition without danger of injury to its structure, so that inthe event of a puncture and consequent deflation not far from thedestination no delay need be caused thereby.

A further object of my invention is to provide a double-tube tire thatcan be fully inflated off the wheel and carried in the vehicle, so thatin the event of injury to a tire in use upon its removal thefully-inflated one can be quickly and easily attached in its place andthe vehicle can at once proceed without the delay and exertion requiredto inflate the newly-attached tire.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoas to details of construction in effecting the result reference is hadto the following description and accompanying drawings.

\Vhile the essential and characteristic features are susceptible ofmodification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective sectional view of the device attached to the felly of awheel omitting the inner inflation-tube; and Fig. 2 is a view of theinner or rim side of the tire, showing the means for latching the same.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in both views of the drawings by the sameapproved section, as may be desired, but so shaped that a rim 2, ofsteel or other suitable metal, may be securely attached to its outersurface around the entire circumference of the felly of the wheel. Inthe drawings the preferred attaching means are shown,which consist ofscrews 3, spaced around the circumference, countersunk into the rim, asshown. The preferred form of this rim is a flat hoop having along itstop, at each edge, a groove 4 4, extending the entire length of thecircumference of the rim and adapted to be used in connection with theclamping means to be hereinafter described; but I do not restrict myselfto this form of flat hoop for a rim, as it may be of any suitabletransverse section provided it contains the grooves 4, as abovespecified.

The tire is preferably of the double-tube variety and consists of theouter casing 5, having the usual thickened tread for impact on the road,as at 6, and having a divided base, as is common in such a form of tire,built up of non-elastic material suitable to be securely clamped to therim 2. The inner or inflation tube (not shown) is of any approved formand texture in common use. The base of the outer tube 5 is made of somesuitable approved non-elastic materal of considerable thickness, (moreparticularly shown at the central portion 7,) so that when the innertube is deflated the road-pressure on the tire will still come upon thetread, which the base will support sufficiently high to prevent the thinsides of the tire from being pressed into injurious contact with themetal parts of the rim, thus permitting the tire to be used in adeflated condition for a short time in case of necessity or convenienceWithout injury thereto. This central base portion 7 is provided withflanges 8 8 on each side thereof, of the same or similar non-elasticmaterial, but somewhat thinner than the central portion of the base andextending laterally when the outer tube is drawn tightly along its lineof division to the inner edges of the grooves 4. In order that the outertube may be thus tightly drawn together when used as a double-tube tireor when converted into one from a single-tube tire, as hereinafternoted, the under side of the central portion thereof is provided with aprojection 13, secured to the base portion of the other side of itsdividing-line in such a relation that when the latch is fastened theouter tube 5 is drawn tightly together and entirely envelops the innertube. The inner tube can then be inflated and the tire carried in suchcondition on the vehicle, being always ready for use -an advantage muchto be desired with double-tube tires. It will also be noted that whenthe tire is placed on the rim 2 the practically integral base formed byengaging the latches 10 serves to prevent the inner tube from beingforced into the opening between the edges of the base portion andbecoming worn or injured therebythat is, the entire surface on the innerside of the outer tube with which the inner tube comes in contact issmooth and even.

In order to securely attach the tire to the rim 2, and thus to the wheelof the vehicle, there are provided two clamping-bands 14L let, one oneach side, preferably of angle-section, whose vertical sides 15 rest inthe grooves 4:, but do not reach their bottoms, and whose horizontalsides 16 rest upon the tops of the base' flanges 8. The grooves 4 arepreferably rounded on their sides, so that the vertical sides 15 of theclamping-bands 1a will readily enter the same even if not accuratelysuperimposed. It will be noted that these clamping-bands are sopositioned that the tire is effectually prevented from either verticalor lateral movement. A clearance-space is provided between the bottomedge of the sides 15 of said bands and the bottom of the grooves 4 bynot allowing the said edges to come down to the bottom of said grooves,and this clearance-space enables the clamping-band to be reduced indiameter when it is desired to tighten the same to clamp the tire moresecurely. To securely fasten the clampingbands, a tightening deviceconnects the ends thereof, consisting of lugs 17 17, mounted on thehorizontal sides 16, one on each of said ends, which are made toapproach or recede from each other by any suitabie means. The

preferred form here shown is a bolt 18, threaded on one end, as at 19,and provided on the other end with an angular head 20, having a formsmay be used, such as threading the opposite ends of the bolt right andleft handed and the lugs similarly with a power-nut in the center or thewell-known turnbuckle, or, in fact, any means for drawing two separatedparts together. This tightening device is made as small and compact asis consistent with strength and lies snugly on the clamping-band toinsure of its being out of the way of causing any injurious pressure onthe outer casing when the tire is used deflated.

To attach the tire, it is only necessary to slip it on the rim into itsposition between the grooves and with the clamping-bands extended bytheir tightening-bolts slip them into position and tighten up saidbolts, which is quickly done by a few turns of the tightening-tool. Toremove the tire for repairs or replacement, it is only necessary toloosen the bolts and remove the bands, when the tire will readily slipfrom the rim. Having no laterally-projecting bolts or lugs, it is littleliable to damage in coming in contact with curbings or other obstacles.

My invention can also be practiced in connection with a single-tube tirein this way: The tire is first made up without the central opening andfully inflated and slipped on the rim, and then in the event of the tiregetting punctured it can be cut open and an inside tube inserted. Thesingle-tube tire having been first supplied with the pockets or recessesalready described, the latches can be readily applied at the time thetire is cut open and the inner tube inserted, and thus all theadvantages gained as above noted.

Obviously my invention may be used in widely varying forms, and somefeatures thereof may be used without others.

Therefore, without limiting myself to the construction shown anddescribed nor enumerating equivalents, I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, the following:

1. A pneumatic tire provided with a flanged base, in combination with arim on the wheelfelly projecting laterally beyond said flanged base,grooves in said rim, and clamping-bands adapted to engage with saidflanges and grooves to secure said tire rigidly to said rim and aclearance-space between the lower edge of the clamping-bands and thebottom of said grooves, substantially as described.

2. A double-tube pneumatic tire provided with a split outer tube,recesses in the under side of said outer tube and latches in saidrecesses whereby the sides of said split may be drawn together inintimate contact, substantially as described.

thickened base, whereby when the tire becomes I deflated the tread rideson said base and the sides are protected from injury, recesses in theunder side of said base and latches in said recesses adapted to draw thesides of said outer tube together in intimate contact, inv

combination with a rim on the Wheel-felly, grooves in said rim, andclamping bands adapted to engage said flanges and said grooves andsecure said tire to said rim, substantially as described.

5. A pneumatic tire having a flat base centrally thickened and providedwith external flanges in combination with a rim flat on its peripheryand provided with a groove near each edge; and clamping-bands adapted toengage the upper surfaces of the flanges and also the said grooves tosecure the tire to the rim, the combined thickness of either flange andits band not being greater than the thickness of the central part of thebase, substan tially as described.

6. A pneumatic tire having a base provided with a central thickenedportion and With eX- ternal flanges in combination With a rim providedwith a groove near each edge; and clamping-bands adapted to engage theupper surfaces of the flanges and also the said grooves to secure thetire to the rim, the combined thickness of either flange and its bandnot being greater than the thickness of the central part of the base,substantially as described.

7. A pneumatic tire having a base centrally thickened and provided withexternal flanges in combination with a rim provided With a groove neareach edge; and angle section clamping-bands adapted to engage the uppersurfaces of the flanges, their vertical sides entering the said groovesa distance less than the depth of the grooves, substantially asdescribed.

8. A pneumatic tire having a base centrally thickened and provided Withexternal flanges in combination With a rim provided With a groove neareach edge; and angle section clamping-bands adapted to engage the uppersurfaces of the flanges, their vertical sides entering the said groovesa distance less than the depth of the grooves, the combined thickness ofeither flange and its band not being greater than the thickness of thecentral part of the base, substantially as described.

9. In a pneumatic tire a cover With external flanges, a thickenedcentral base portion, a rim flat on its periphery, clamping-bandsadapted to clamp the flanges to the rim, the base portions of the tirebeing flat in cross-section both Within and Without the tire, and thecombined thickness of either flange, its band and the side Wall of thetire not being greater than the thickness of the central part of thebase substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

PERRY ERNEST DOOLITTLE.

Witnesses:

W. MILLARD MoCAMMoN, MINNIE CURRY.

